Tag: hustle

Here’s an Interesting story. Living in L. A. is expensive. I didn’t say newsflash I said “here’s a story.”

Anyways.

For some time now I had been meaning to replace my car’s rear sway bar bushings. So I did what I always do and I did a bit of research. YouTube had some clips on it. It really wasn’t going to be a hard task. Just popping wheels off, oiling bolts, replacing and reinstalling.

My first try:

I worked an online quote from a nearby chain retailer/mechanic. I accidentally clicked on breaks and struts. When my guy called back, he even offered to pick up my car (again, not random mechanics but kinda like pep boy employees). I was somewhat alarmed. After he “takes a look” at it, he calls me with “a good good estimate” for my bushing replacement.

How much is it?

“Alright sir is gonna be $1360”

Even though I specifically told him at the beginning of our conversation I was not interested in the break and struts job, this good hombre held on to that check-mark like his life depended on it. And maybe it did. I had to move on. Godspeed Freddy.

My second try:

For this one, I figured: Well. If I cut down the “ordene-en-linea” factor-and maybe also go somewhere else-, They’d have less chances of adding unnecessary items to my order. Which was the case. But Alas! the human factor, its ingenuity knows no limits. This time he looks at the parts (I bought them, all I was missing was proper install tools) and goes:

“ALL RIGHT! lets do this!”

and immediately walks to a computer.

*beep beep* *presses keyboard* *asks questions* *processes order*

“Its $356.33 buddy!”

Not bad. But its a really simple install. Honestly. And I understand everyone needs to make a living and tools cost money and on and on. I really do. But this requires oil, a hydraulic trolley lift and one puller.

I ended up posting an ad.

“Wanna make a quick $100?, change my rear bushings”. By the weekend my car had new bushings installed. Its been running smoothly again.

The lesson: If you’re cheap like me, hustle hard. Or Learn some light mechanic and buy your own damn tools and do it!